


Eye for an Eye

by Angry_gremlin_commando



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fordola and Arenvald show up for a sentence or two, Gen, Implied Eye Trauma, Location-Typical Racism, Specific Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), bad things happening to the WoL's child just off screen, set in an AU where the peace talks didn't fell through
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angry_gremlin_commando/pseuds/Angry_gremlin_commando
Summary: Hero Hikara thought the respect he earned as Warrior of Light will be enough to keep his children safe, even if the people disapproved of his marriage to Zenos.He was sorely mistaken.
Relationships: implied Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Eye for an Eye

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HeroHikara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeroHikara/gifts).



> This was written quite some time ago when we were discussing with a friend where Zenos, his lovely beast and their potential kids would settle down.
> 
> And why it probably should not be Gridania.

It's a nice afternoon, the kind when Eri takes her time walking home after dropping into the bakery to say hi to Hero and grab something to eat. People know her, know Hero and she's big enough to walk home alone - she is quite proud of that! Being known, being liked is a shield against bad blood when surrounded by familiar faces.

(They knew Zenos too, his reputation whispered quietly in the ears of any whose fingers twitched when they saw the twins, when they saw they weren't _all_ miqo'te. The Warrior of Light caught himself a prince, tamed himself a monster. You don't want to raise your hand against two innocent, kind children, they said. You won't have the strength to withstand the hell that will be let loose. You can't possibly want another war.)

But there is a wanderer in town, one who knows not and hears not, drowning in booze as he is. He came for a funeral and with loss already on his mind, he looks at the child crossing the road with pastry in hand and sees the faces of those he lost to those bloody, rotten Garleans.

He has an opportunity. He has a knife.

Lost in thought, she doesn't notice him until she chokes on a bite, his hand on her mouth, the edge of the blade biting into her skin.

"There is something ugly on your face, sweetheart. Let me rid you of it."

They used to fetch quite the price, third eyes.

* * *

The barkeep watches the man roll something on the table next to his glass, smirking to himself. She knows this good for nothing - used to be an Adder, then an adventurer. Now she does not know what he is, except drunk.

"What do you have there?"

He lights up with glee. The glint in his eyes would be almost manic if it wasn't dulled by too many glasses of too strong drink.

"The best trophy there is!" He slurs. "Long live the emperor!"

He waves it in the air and she catches his wrist to examine it. She had seen Garleans plenty since the peace accord and it looks genuine enough. A Garlean third eye, scratched and nicked and stained with dried blood, clearly cut inexpertly from someone still living.

She pushes his hand away with disgust.

"Where did you get this?"

He chuckles like it's the best joke and starts rolling it on the table again.

"'t was a girl. One of the bastards had good taste, got himself a catgirl good before we chased them from 'la Mhigo." He chuckles again and she freezes, mind running malm a moment. A miqo'te girl with a third eye...

"You cut that from a child?" She keeps her voice even, the revulsion and worry carefully pushed down.

He shrugs and she clenches her hand in a fist to resist slapping him.

"She has it better now. Being scarred's better than being Garlean filth. Did her a favor, really."

She picks up his empty glass, holding it in both hands so her shaking isn't so prominent and smiles her sweetest smile.

"Well, I'll be damned. Let me treat you to something real special, to celebrate your good deed. Nobody in these parts would have dared to do what you did."

He grins at her, wits too soaked in alcohol to recognize the danger. 

She walks to the storage room to get a bottle of something expensive and reaches for her linkpearl. She should call the Adders. She calls Hero.

Hearing the bastard scream is more than worth the hassle of having to wipe blood from the ceiling.

* * *

"Are they really leaving for Garlemald?"

"Mhmmm."

"Is it because of what happened?"

"Can you blame them?"

"I understand that his husband is standing trial, but surely with his background they can smooth things over."

Arenvald stares down at the school administrator with disbelief. She is a lalafell, small and pink and sweet and looking at him with such an open expression he can tell for sure she is not trying to crack an ill-timed joke.

Fordola stares at her with cold outrage.

"Have you not heard what happened?" Arenvald asks carefully, the school papers they came to fetch momentarily forgotten.

"I have heard that he brutally killed a man. As it can be expected of those Garlean brutes. It's in their nature to be violent, I heard. Lucky thing the children took more after that sweetheart Hero..."

"Think carefully about what you say next," Fordola cuts her off sharply, her eyes narrowed in anger. Arenvald wants nothing more than to join her, a dark feeling bubbling up inside him as he realizes that the rumors only speak of the vengeance, not the initial assault, but a brawl won't help their cause now.

"That man attacked their daughter. Attacked and hurt her badly, for being part Garlean. For having the eye." His voice is deadly cold. "I would have done the same, had it happened to my child."

The administrator gasps, her eyes growing wide with shock.

There are no more words exchanged after that. She doesn't meet their eyes as she hands over the papers.

Arenvald tentatively counts it as a small victory.


End file.
